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Columbia County officials set Feb. 2026 deadline to adopt updated comprehensive plan
Summary
Planning staff said the county must adopt an updated comprehensive plan by February 2026 to retain zoning authority; public hearings and outreach events are planned later this year.
Scott Sterling, Columbia County planning services director, said the county must adopt an updated comprehensive plan by February 2026 to maintain local zoning authority. "The state requires that we have a comprehensive plan in order to have zoning in in the county," Sterling said, adding the plan must be updated every five years.
That requirement will drive a schedule of public outreach and formal review, county officials said. Sterling said the draft plan will be the subject of public hearings likely "closer towards the end of the year," after which staff will make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners and submit the plan to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for state review. He warned that failing to complete the state review could jeopardize the county's local certified government status.
Cassidy Harris, public relations manager, said the county is conducting public outreach through pop-up events and an online hub. "If you see this banner, we encourage you to come up, have dialogue with us, talk to us about what you might like to see for the growth of Columbia County," Harris said. She asked how the county uses public feedback; Sterling said staff will "take all the feedback that we get and, you know, kind of sift through that" and align it with direction from a steering committee and the Board of Commissioners.
Sterling described one central component of the plan as the future land use section, which will identify "character areas" — for example, community commercial or low-density residential — and show those areas on a map so residents and developers can see where different types of development may be appropriate now or in the future. He also said there is funding tied to the process "down the road," but did not provide figures.
Harris said residents can find information and event listings at futurecolumbiacounty.com and can contact planning staff by email at planning@columbiacountyga.gov. "We encourage you to stay tuned and get involved," she said.
County staff presented the timeline and outreach plan; no formal vote or adoption occurred during the presentation. Public hearings and the Board of Commissioners' recommendation are the next formal steps described by staff.
